He has often featured in movies tackling sensitive subjects, but Rajkummar Rao’s Behen Hogi Teri is a refreshing break for the actor, as it is not a “typical” romantic-comedy of Bollywood.

He has often featured in movies tackling sensitive subjects, but Rajkummar Rao’s Behen Hogi Teri is a refreshing break for the actor, as it is not a “typical” romantic-comedy of Bollywood.

The actor made his debut in 2010 with Dibakar Banerjee’s Love Sex Aur Dhokha and went on to work in films like, Kai Po Che!, Shahid and his last release, Aligarh. Though Rajkummar has a comedy-drama film to his credit, Sonam Kapoor starrer Dolly Ki Doli, Behen Hogi Teri will be his first solo lead romantic-comedy.

“This is probably my first solo lead rom-com. But, just because it belongs to that genre, doesn’t mean the efforts are not there. It is not that I am doing anything less. There are preparations, training, I am emotionally as involved as I am for any other film,” Rajkummar said.

“But yes, Behen Hogi Teri is not a typical Bollywood potboiler, or romantic-comedy. It is a very relatable, human film with lot of interesting moments,” he added.

Directed by Ajay K Pannalal and backed by Amul Mohan, Behen Hogi Teri features Shruti Haasan opposite the 32-year-old actor. Rajkummar is currently shooting for the film in Lucknow and insists the backdrop of the city will add a lot of layer to the overall project.

“Lucknow is the flavour of the season. A lot of the films are being shot here. Our film is a slice of life fun movie with real characters set up in Lucknow. There is a whole Jaagran community here, which not many apart from North Indians might be aware of. My character, Gattu, plays Shiva in one of the jaagran mandlis, which is owned by Shruti’s character and he is in love with her,” the actor said.

Rajkummar says the quirky title of the movie stems from what people “pan India” think about girls and boys living together in the same area. “My character is madly in love with her, but since he is from the same ‘mohalla’, they are neighbours, everybody thinks that ‘mohalley kay log bhai-behen he hai, ye toh ghar ki baat hai’. But how, in his heart and mind, he knows she can’t be his sister. That’s how the title comes.”

The actor has started shooting the film after completing movies like Trapped, Omerta and Newton, all of which were “very taxing.” “My last three-four films have been very challenging, and very taxing. From there, I have come to ‘Behen Hogi Teri’. It is, of course, a performance driven film but is not that emotionally taxing as others.”